Veterans’ perspective

What do you think of the reception you guys received from the people here in the CNMI, and what do you expect to get from your visit here?

“I think it’s fantastic. We enjoyed it and I was one of the few that walked the whole way. I think it’s great. This is my first time over in 60 years. It was on June 15, 1944. I got hit on the first day. I lost two of my squad members; they got killed some time during the battle. I thought maybe it was my fault. I walked where I landed to the point where I got hit and I walked back to where I was evacuated.”
Myron Kampfer- 4th Division

“It’s really exciting. It’s my first time to be here in Saipan also. A lot of participation that’s going on is outstanding.”
Jasper Sims- 3rd Division

“It just blew my brain. It was wonderful to see everybody that’s here now in the best parades I’ve ever been on. I’ve already got a miracle. I’ve found today [the place] where I was wounded; my son and I found it. To me that’s a miracle. ”
Melvin Deiter ,
Navy Medical Corps with the Marines

“I thought it was heartwarming and the welcome was stupendous. My son lives here, so I get to visit him. I come out here every winter for the last four years.”
Robert V. Schmit

“It was wonderful. I think I should just stay here for the rest of my life. It’s really heartwarming. My two daughters and wife came out here to be with him. It’s my first time in 60 years to be out here. I expect to be more compassionate and love more people instead of being such a jerk. I can’t believe how friendly these people are, they’re just wonderful and what ever we had to do was worth it for you guys.”
John M. Bradley

“I didn’t know there was that many people on the island. I was over here last year in April. Just enjoying coming back. Basically, that’s it.”
Don Swindle-PSE in the Marine

“This is one of the greatest experience of my life, to come back. This is where I killed my first person and many more, but this is where I saw my men die, many of them, and saw people commit suicide. I saw everything that you read about and did everything that you read about. To come back and see this praised today and all those little kids waving the American flag and smiling and saying thanks, thanks, thanks, and thumbs up and all that kind of things; to see what you’ve got going here, it is a joyous experience and I will cherish it forever.”
Keith Renstorm, Marine gunnery sergeant

(Cassie Dlg Fejeran)